Queensland Maroons jersey sleeve with 1995 on it, Cameron Munster interview

A subtle detail on the sleeve of the Maroons jersey on Wednesday night hinted at a masterful nod to history that motivated Billy Slater's side to one of the all-time Origin upsets.

Queensland captain Cameron Munster revealed the Maroons had invoked the spirit of the famous 1995 team in the lead up to the 26-24 win over the Blues in Perth on Wednesday night.

The 30-year anniversary of Vautin's unlikely 3-0 series has been mentioned throughout the series for Billy Slater's men.

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Yet Munster said he felt the team did not hold up their end of the bargain in the first game and made sure they remembered Vautin's underdogs ahead of the Perth match.

The Queensland skipper spoke of the 1995 series during an on-field interview after the match, before explaining the side's mentality ahead of Wednesday night's game in the post-match press conference.

1995 can be seen on Munster's jersey. Nine

"I can't remember the last time we won a game two than probably 2023. I've never had a great record on game twos," Munster said.

"I've never had a great record in Perth. Looking back on it I probably lost most games here by 50.

"To come out and play the way we did in the first half, yeah we got some things to work on in the second half, but I just like the way the boys got around each other.

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"The series was on the line and we worked hard for each other. It's a bit similar to the 1995 team that we keep talking about.

"They won by two points in a couple of those games in the series and we won by two tonight.

"It was that 1995 mentality in D (defence), and we've just got to keep working hard for each other.

Kalyn Pong and Kurt Mann embrace. Nine

"It's going to be a harder task going to Sydney, we've got to be ready for it. We can't afford to be ambushed."

Slater and Queensland management have done their utmost to draw comparisons to the side from 1995.

The players jerseys have "1995" emblazoned on one sleeve with "2025" on the other, linking the teams together despite their 30-year gap.

While the anniversary of Vautin's team would have always been celebrated for this year, Slater and his staff used the link and their situation as big underdogs as fuel to level the series.

The Maroons had never won in Perth prior to Wednesday night and no Maroons team has ever won a series from 1-0 down without a game at Suncorp Stadium in either of the next two games.

Leading into the Perth clash, Slater's position also appeared fraught as no Maroons coach has ever kept his job after two straight series losses.

Vautin was handed the keys to the Queensland team in 1995, after Wayne Bennett pulled out because of the Super League war.

With Trevor Gilmesiter as his captain, Vautin masterminded an unlikely series win that featured iconic moments like the all-in brawl at the MCG, Billy Moore yelling "Queenslander" down the tunnel at the Sydney Football Stadium and Gilmesiter putting his life on the line to play in a dead-rubber game three with a blood infection.

The game two win in Perth sets up a decider in Sydney on July 9.

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